Apparatus for continuously displacing a filamentary material in a treatment installation



Get. 24, 1967 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLi Filed April 29, 1965 M A. GIROS DISPLACING A FILAMENTARY MATERIAL IN A TREATMENT INSTALLATION 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE NTOR.

MA RC E L A LE XA NDRE GIRQS ATTORNEY.

MATERIAL M. A. GIROS FOR CONTINUOUSLY DISPLACING A FILAMENTARY IN A TREATMENT INSTALLATION APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1965 Get. 24, 1967 A. GIROS 3,348,394

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOU DISPLACING A FILAMENTARY MATERIAL IN A TREATMENT INSTALLATION Filed April 29, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.3

Oct. 24, 3967 M. A. GIROS 3,348,394 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY DISPLACING A FILAMENTARY MATERIAL IN A TREATMENT INSTALLATION Filed April 29, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet A INVENT OR.

MARCEL ALEXANDRE GIROS.

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 24, I 1 967 M. A. GIROS 3 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY DISPLACING A FILAMENTARY MATERIAL IN A TREATMENT INSTALLATION Filed April 29, 1965 55heets-Sheet 5 INVE NTOR- MA RCE L A LEXANDRE GIROS.

ATTORNEY.

United States Pate APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY DISPLACING A FILAMENTARY MATERIAL IN A TREAT- MENT INSTALLATION Marcel A. Giros, Ancerville, France, assignor to -Societe Mensienne de Constructions Mecaniques, Ancerville, France, a company of France Filed Apr. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 451,728 Claims priority, application France, May 5, 1964, 787

5 Claims. (Cl. 72-39) g In my U.S. Patent No. 2,651,104, I have disclosed a method and a device for the continuous displacement of a flexible strip of solid material such as a metal, in a treating bath or tank or in a treatment chamber.

The word strip used in the description of the aforesaid patent is, as stated, a generic term designating both a plane or profiled strip of solid material and also a Wire consisting of a solid material. In other words, the said specification relates both to metal materials of considerable length which are conventionally known in iron metallurgy as wire-elements and which are actually Wires and those which are conventionally known as strip irons or metal ribbons and which are actually plane strips.

However, the industrial application made thereof hitherto has not been equally extended to wire elements as to strip-iron, for the following practical reason:

According to the process described in the aforesaid patent, the material to be treated (strip-iron or wire element) passes through the bath or treatment chamber, meanwhile forming a helix supported by one or more supporting shafts which are driven in rotation. The satisfactory operation of the installations carrying this process into effect involves a certain regularity in shape and a certain stability in the position of the turns of the said helix in the'bath or treatment chamber. In the case of strip-iron, it has been possible to achieve the following:

On the one hand, a suitable degree of regularity in the shape of the turns, due to an amount of cambering of the strip-iron which imparts to the turns a rigidity the action of which is to prevent uncontrolled and excessive variations in their diameter without at the same time substantially hammer-hardening the material.

On the other hand, a suitable degree of stability in respect of the portion of the turns, due to-the adoption above-mentioned cambering in a pre-determined profile involving a linear contact of each turn with its support shaft or shafts, the said linear contact to some extent opposing the uncontrolled and excessive pivoting of the said turn about a vertical axis extending through the zone of the aforesaid linear contact.

On the other hand, in the case of wire elements, no means has been found for appropriately ensuring the regularity of the shape of the turns, other than throughone of the following means, which are unacceptable for various reasons:

Hammer-hardening of the wire, either by wire-drawing, rolling or bending; using this means, it is necessary to effect a very considerable degree of hammer-hardening and consequently to deform the section of the Wire to a very considerable extent so as to obtain an adequate degree of rigidity in the turns; however, this is not conceivable, notably in cases wherein the treatment applied with the process is the pickling or scouring of the wires, since the said pickling is intended precisely for facilitat-. ing the plastic and cold deformation of the wire such as, precisely, wire-drawing, rolling, bending, etc.

Adoption of a turn diameter which is not considerable relatively. to the section of the wire (i.e. the diameter-in the case of round wire); by this means, it is possible to achieve an adequate degree of rigidity in the turns which then impart to the helix the proportions of a common spring; but then, the fraction of the turns which is immersed in the treatment bath becomes small and the treatment loses its efiiciency; otherwise, it would be necessary to allow the support shafts themselves to be immersed in the treatment bath, but this would be misunderstanding one of the advantages of the process, i.e. that there is no mechanism or even any fixed device in the bath or in the treatment chamber.

On the other hand, it has not been possible to have recourse to a certain curve profile as in the case of stripiron, since curving is in itself unacceptable, as stated hereinabove; this means that, under these conditions and with regard to round wires, the contact of one turn with a smooth support shaft must still be punctiform; the said punctiform contact would not oppose any resistance to uncontrolled and excessive pivoting of the turns about a vertical axis extending through the point of contact.

To sum up, an installation putting into effect, relatively to the treatment of strip-iron, the process according to my U.S. Patent No. 2,651,104 and functioning satisfactorily in this case cannot be quaranteed to function equally Well in respect of the treatment of wires and specially of the treatment of round wires which are those most commonly used; in fact, the turns of a wire of this nature may vary excessively in diameter and may pivot excessively about their suspension point, so that there is a danger that they may become tangled due to the untimely introduction of the small diameter turns into the adjacent large diameter turns; this introduction is not opposed by any mechanism or device in the treatment space proper, since, in principle, there is none; if, after the said introduction, the small-diameter turns become larger diameter turns and vice versa, the tangle becomes inextractable and the functioning of the installation is greatly compromised.

Holding this in mind, the present invention relates above all to wire elements but it also concerns strip-iron and, more generally, all filiform or tapered materials, provided that they are flexible; consequently, since the obstacle opposed to the tangling of the filiform or tapered materials cannot, in principle, be derived from a mechanism or a device disposed in the treatment chamber (which must be relatively large relatively to the total volume occupied by the helix, if the efliciency of the treatment is not to be shortened), it can be found in the material to be treated itself, in the following manner: instead of passing asingle helix through the bath or the treatment chamber, two or more are passed through in suchmanner that the said helices interpenetrate each other and the turns of one fulfill the part of a comb for the turns of at least one other. In order to impart to two wires or two filiform or tapered materials obtained from two separate places of storage, the form of two helices which mutually interpenetrate, several means may be utilised.

It is possible to drive each wire by means of one or more pairs of grooved rolls followed by a bending roll, this being a mechanism which is known per se. In the present case, however, it is necessary to arrange the two mechanisms in such manner that a wire does not pass through the space provided for the mechanism correspondin to the other wires. This process is applicable provided that the force required for driving each wire is not excessive. Thiswill generally be the case when it is simply amatterof driving a wire wound in a coil. However,; it will not apply if the wire is compelled to pass previou'slythrough .a die or drawing plate, or through In a similar case, it would be possible for example to make use of the capstan or winch process; the wire is entrained by a capstan roller and is helically wound about the latter. The roller (or drum) comprises, on one side, a flange which compels the wire to contact it in a position which is steady in space; under these conditions, the previously wound-on turns are compelled to slide to the side opposite the flange; sliding is facilitated by a slight degree of conicity of the roller.

What is concerned is a mechanism which is well known and which forms the basis of machines for drawing wire in coil form. The application thereof to the invention, however, calls for the two following remarks:

The helix formed by the drum or roller finally escapes from the latter; it is thus necessary to make use of a device which urges the turns against the said roller until the last instant, in which case the adhesion of the wire on the drum and consequently the driving action of the wire by the latter is achieved.

Since there are at least two wires, it is necessary, in principle, to have at least two rollers and since the rollers are separate, the helices coming from the said rollers will also be separate. It is thus necessary to progressively draw the turns of these helices nearer together in such manner that they mutually interpenetrate, in the manner required; this is possible due to the elasticity of the wire and it can be carried into effect either with the aid of rolls which deflect the turns without changing their diameter, in which case the diameter of the drums must be substan: tially equal to the diameter of the turns of the interpenetrating helices, or with the aid of offset rolls increasing the diameter of the turns, in which case the diameter of the drums must be substantially smaller than the diameter of the turns of the interpenetrating helices.

A preferred means for forming two helices which interpenetrate is as follows:

Instead of winding each wire on a separate winch, the two or more wires are wound on the same winch which they contact at different points, diametrically opposite points in the case of two wires. Each wire is wound on the winch with a pitch equal to double its diameter and each turn of one of the wires is inserted between twoconsecutive turns of the other wire. The two helices thus formed have the same axis as far as the outlet of the winch; at this instant, two deflection rolls progressively separate the two helices and direct the turns of the latter onto the supporting shafts of the wire treatment installation proper.

The advantage of this preferred means is, on the one hand, gneater simplicity (there is only one winch in place of two or more) and on the other hand greater operational reliability; the modification in the degree of preexistant penetration of the helices is in fact easier than the initiation of a previously non-existent penetration.

Consequently, a device for the treatment of a flexible, filiform or tapered material in accordance with the process of the invention comprises means for imparting to at least two strands of the said material the shape of the turns of a helix and for bringing about the mutual interpenetration of the helices thus formed, a tank or a treatment chamber of elongated shape, means disposed above the said tank or treatment chamber for supporting the said helices in such manner that their axes are in the same horizontal plane and parallel to the large dimension of the said tank or treatment chamber, each helix interpenetrating, turn for turn, with at least one further helix, the lower portions of the turns extending into the tank or treatment chamber, and means for advancing the material constituting the said helices in such manner that the latter remain, substantially unchanged in location.

A preferred means for imparting to at least two strands of the said material the shape of the turns of a helix and for causing the helices thus formed to mutually interpenetrate consists of a single capstan or winch comprising a rotary drum or roller and a flange, contact with the said flange being established by the strands on reaching points which are substantially equidistantly distributed over the circumference thereof, the strands then being wound on the drum to form helices the pitch of which is equal to the product of the diameter of the strands by their number, each turn of the helix being inserted between turns belonging to the other helices, the turns sliding en bloc to the side opposite the flange and from the winch, meanwhile forming the helices which it is required to form.

The invention will be more readily understood on reading the following description and on examining the accompanying figures and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows an assembly view of a double-helix treatment device according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a part-plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section through the same;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section through the same;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of a preferred device for forming two helices which mutually interpenetrate;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view thereof;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view thereof.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a first strand 1 of material to be treated, taken from a storage means 2 is curved as it passes through a set of rolls '3, to form a loop 4 which advances in the direction of the arrow 8 and which constitutes the initiation of a helix 5 supported by two shafts 6 and 7 which are themselves supported and driven in rotation in the same direction and at the same speed by mechanical driving means (not shown). The shafts 6 and 7 are parallel and are in the same horizontal plane.

A second strand 11 of material to be treated, taken from a storage means 12, is curved as it passes through a set of rolls 13 and forms a loop 14 advancing in the direction of the arrow 18 and constituting the initiation of a helix 15 supported by two shafts 16 and 17 which are themselves supportedand driven in rotation in the same direction as the shafts 6 and 7 and at the same velocity as the latter, by mechanical driving means (not shown). The shafts 16 and 17 are parallel to the shafts 6 and 7 "and are in the same horizontal plane.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the material to be treated is a metal wire of considerable length which is required to pass through a tank 10 constituting a treatment chamber in which the wire passes successively through a first compartment 21, where it is pickled or scoured, through a second compartment 22 where it is washed, and through a third compartment 23 where it passes through a neutralisation bath, for example.

In the assembly of the tank 10, there is a large number of turns of the helices 5 and 15 and, if no special precautions are taken, there is a danger that some of the turns may contract whereas others increase in diameter and that turns of smaller diameter may be introduced in an untimely manner into larger adjacent turns, the result being an inextricable tangle.

In actual fact, this mishap cannot take place, due to certain special arrangements which have been provided, in particular due to the presence of a roller 9 the functioning of which will be more readily understood if reference is made to FIGURE 2.

This figure is a plan view of a part of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1. The figure shows the two helices 5 and 15 surrounding and supported by the shafts 6 and 7 on the one hand, and 16 and 17 on the other hand. In

-, FIGURE 2, the said helices have been intentionally distended in the longitudinal direction; in other words, their pitch is substantially larger than shown in FIGURE 1, so that it is easier to understand their general arrangement. A turn 35 of the helix 5 passes between the shafts 17 and 16 (see also FIGURE 3) and, in this zone 36, it is very close to and practically in contact with a turn 37 of the helix 15. On the other hand, in the lower region 38, where the helix 5 intersects the helix 15, the turns are not in contact but are in alternate arrangement.

Returning to the zones between the shafts 7 and 16 (FIGURE 2), the maintenance of the relative positions of the turns in these zones is achieved by means of circular grooves 47 and 48 formed in the roller 9 and in each of which a turn of one of the helices engages. However, in order to make it possible to clear or to pass over the walls such as 41 separating the compartments 21 and 22, a pair of grooves 39 and 40 has been omitted flush with these partitions. The helices are locally distended at this point.

FIGURES 3 and 4 are cross and longitudinal sections through the device shown in plan in FIGURE 2; they will enable the arrangement of the helices formed by the strands of material to be treated to be more readily understood.

Returning to FIGURE 1, after having travelled through the last compartment 23 of the tank 10, the strands of material to be treated 1 and 11 clear the last partition 42 of the tank in the same manner as the preceding ones and continue their progress externally of the tank, being suspended from the shafts 6, 7, 16 and 17. Shortly after this last step of leaving the tank, the shafts 7 and 16 terminate at 43 and 44 and the turns of the helices are then maintained in the one case by the shaft 6 alone (turns 45 following on the helix 5) and in the other case by the shaft 17 alone '(turns 46 following on the helix so that the said helices, from this point on, are separated and no longer interpenetrate. Each of the said helices may then be treated as an independent helix; it may be unwound for immediate utilisation or it may be re-reeled directly without being unwound on a vertical-axis bobbin, for example, as known per se.

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are an end view, a plan view and an elevation of a device which may be used for forming the helices 5 and 15 before entry into the tank 10 and which will preferably be used in place of the sets of rolls 3 and 13 shown in FIGURE 1. FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 should be studied together.

The essential member of the device illustrated in these figures is a capstan (or winch) 50 consisting of a drum (or roller) 51 and a flange 52. On the said capstan are wound the strands 1 and 11 obtained from wire storage arrangements (not shown), for example reels as shown in FIGURE 1. The strands 1 and 11 contact the drum 51 of the capstan at its point of junction with the flange 52, at diametrically opposite points 53 and 63. They are wound on the drum, forming turns which alternate from one strand to the other; the turn 54 for example, belonging to the strand 1, is enclosed by the turns 64 and 66 belonging to the strand 11. The capstan is driven in rotation in the direction of the arrow 55 and, during this rotation, all the turns are urged in the direction of the arrow 56; finally, each turn successively passes beyond the section 57 of the capstan and escapes. At this instant, entrained by the turns which precede it and by rollers 65 and 75, it ascends travelling either to the left or to the right, adopts the successive positions 60, 61 or 70, 71 and reaches the position wherein it is suspended from the shafts 6 and 7 or 16 and 17. It then forms the initiation of the helix 5 or the helix 15 shown in FIGURE 1, enters the tank 10 by passing over the first partition and the process continues as previously described.

So as not to overload the drawings, the device applying and maintaining the turns such as 54 on the drum 51 of the capstan has not been shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, since this device is known per se. For the same reason, the turns of the strand 11, such as and 71, have only been partly shown in FIGURE 5.

I claim:

1. A method for treating a filamentary material in a treating section of elongated form consisting in imparting to at least two strands of said material the form of the turns of a helix, forming thus at least two helices, bringing about a mutual insertion of said at least two helices within said treating section, each helix interpenetrating turn for turn with at least one further helix, and advancing the material constituting said helices, the latter remaining substantially inchanged in location.

2. A device for treating .a filamentary material in a treating tank of elongated form comprising means adapted to impart to at least two strands of said material the form of the turns of a helix, whereby at least two helices are formed, means for bringing about a mutual insertion of said at least two helices, whereby each helix interpenetrates turn for turn with at least one further helix, means for supporting said helices in said treating tank, and means for advancing the material constituting said helices, the latter remaining substantially inchanged in location.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said means for supporting said helices and said means for advancing the material constituting said helices are horizontal parallel rotating shafts.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein at least one horizontal idle roller is disposed between said rotating shafts, resting on the turns of two adjacent interpenetrating helices.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said at least one horizontal idle roller is provided with circular grooves adapted to engage with the turns of said helices. 

1. A METHOD FOR TREATING A FILAMENTARY MATERIAL IN A TREATING SECTION OF ELONGATED FORM CONSISTING IN IMPARTING TO AT LEAST TWO STRANDS OF SAID MATERIAL THE FORM OF THE TURNS OF A HELIX, FORMING THUS AT LEAST TWO HELICES, BRINGING ABOUT A MUTUAL INSERTION OF SAID AT LEAST TWO HELICES WITHIN SAID TREATING SECTION, EACH HELIX INTERPENETRATING TURN OF TURN WHICH AT LEAST ONE FURTHER HELIX, AND ADVANCING THE MATERIAL CONSTITUTING SAID HELICES, THE LATTER REMAINING SUBSTANTIALLY INCHANGED IN LOCATION. 